Designed by the architectural firm of Proudfoot and Bird, Agriculture Hall, as Curtiss Hall was first called, was built in 1906-1909. The building was originally planned to be built 100 feet west of its current location, but the plans were changed after opposition to placing a building in the center of the beautiful campus lawn was voiced. Work on the building ceased in 1907 when the contractor declared bankruptcy. Work soon resumed under the direction of a bonding company. Although the building was completed in 1909, it stood unoccupied until 1912 when the accounts were finally settled with the surety company. Agriculture Hall was officially renamed Curtiss Hall in 1947 for Charles F. Curtiss, long-time Dean of Agriculture (1902-1932) at Iowa State. In 1995, an agricultural high-tech classroom was built within the building, called the Brenton Center for Agricultural Instruction and Technology Transfer.Curtiss Hall (originally Agriculture Hall) was built in 1906-1908, by the architect Proudfoot and Bird. The building was renamed Curtiss Hall still hosts the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, whose mission is to “enrich the lives of people in Iowa, the nation and the world through excellence in education, scholarship, service and leadership in food, agricultural, environmental and social sciences.”